In the News Tribune Sean Cockerham reports that state Democrats are no longer trying to kill the 2008 presidential primary. He quotes state party Chairman Dwight Pelz saying there will be a primary.

But that doesn't answer the question of whether Democrats will count any of the votes toward selecting delegates to the national convention next year. Pelz has said the party won't count the votes, though some party members hope that at least a portion could be used to apportion delegates. Cockerham writes:

Olympia Democratic Rep. Sam Hunt, the main sponsor of the bill to cancel the 2008 presidential primary, wouldn't go so far as to say his bill is dead. But he indicated Tuesday that it likely won't move forward.

Hunt attributed the bill's fate to the feeling among members of the House Appropriations Committee. Several people who testified last week said a primary is better for participatory democracy than caucuses.

The date of the primary will be set tomorrow by a committee of party officials, legislators and Secretary of State Sam Reed.

MORE: And the PI says Republican Party leaders say they now don't want to count the primary toward delegates.